The organization has instated a special webpage for those affected by the disaster

Beware of Hurricane Sandy scams that leverage the name of FEMA

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has instated a special site for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. The page contains information not just for survivors, but also for those who want to help them.

According to the “rumor control” section, a number of false stories and scams are making the rounds on social media websites.

For instance, on November 2, false rumors were saying that FEMA was hiring clean-up crews. Later, internauts were told that the organization was giving out food stamps and even cash to New York and New Jersey residents.

Another scam informed users that FEMA was giving $1,000 (800 EUR) per week to those willing to help clean up the debris.

As David White of Hoax Slayer highlights, such scams can be used by fraudsters to collect personal information from those who respond to the ads.

If you want to know how to help out those affected by Hurricane Sandy, you can check out FEMA’s official page. Also, be sure to check the legitimacy of rumors before spreading them.